Question from a Writer - Alternating Point of View

I would appreciate your opinion on mixing point of views. I have come
across several seasoned authors who are alternating between first and
third person. I find that I enjoy diving into more than one character's
mind. At least for me, it enriches the story.

Ahh, the old shifting point of view question.

The answer for this is actually very easy! It depends on the story.

When a writer sits down to craft a story, the first thing he or she needs to focus on is what the story is about, the theme and so forth. Really know what the story is. Once that is determined, the approach you take with the story will take shape. In other words, you don't start out saying you are going to write a 1st person story, but you think of the story and figure what structure will be the best to convey the message.

A big mistake is to look at these stories that appeal to you and attach the structure to it claiming that is what made it work. If you really examine the story, you will find that it is something about the story itself, or the characters that are really sucking you in. How the author tells the story just enhances it.

So, is there a right or wrong way? Not necessarily. I guess the easiest way to say it would be: the wrong way is the one that goes against the story.

Hope that helps.

Scott